The Chargers are great at controlling the ball: second of 32 in first downs and third in third-down efficiency. The ball-hogging keeps San Diego's defense on the sideline. It also improves field position, further enhanced by strong kick units. The Chargers score 24 points per game, which is 14th in the league.

Jacksonville's defense, energetic but thin, gets no favors from Jacksonville's offense, which is last in scoring.

First-year Jaguars coach Gus Bradley's expertise is defense, but Bradley told San Diego reporters that head-coaching leaves him scant time to work with the defense. Maybe he should create the time. The Jaguars give up 33 points per game. That's next-to-last in the NFL (New York Giants are last).

Jacksonville's front-seven defenders are the Chargers' No. 1 concern. Left end Tyson Alualu, a first-round choice (Cal, 2010), is powerful, balanced and relentless. His spin move isn't Freeneyesque but can work. Edge rusher Jason Babin, a Pro Bowler in 2010-11, relies mostly on speed but "is good at converting speed to power," said left tackle and ex-Eagles teammate King Dunlap. The defense's leader, middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, picked off a Peyton Manning seam pass last Sunday and ran it 59 yards for a touchdown.

“I think the defensive line is the strength of that unit," said Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. "They play hard, they’re physical guys and they do a lot of stunting, which presents problems to you as an offense.”

Mike McCoy mentioned ball protection as prominent to road success. At Oakland two weeks ago, the Chargers had five turnovers. At Philadelphia, they lost two fumbles in the red zone. Whisenhunt likes fields goals but wants more TDs. "We have to be better in the red zone," he said.